Puntarenas is a province of Costa Rica. It is located in the western part of the country, covering most of Costa Rica's Pacific Ocean coast, and it is the largest province in Costa Rica. Clockwise from the northwest it borders on the provinces Guanacaste, Alajuela, San José and Limón, and the neighbouring country of Panama. The capital is Puntarenas. The province covers an area of 11,266 km², and has a population of 357,483 (2000). It is subdivided into 11 cantons. For administrative purposes, the island Isla del Coco, 500 km offshore in the Pacific Ocean, is considered a part of this province.